This eagle knows there's food around.
A few beautiful trumpeter swans that decided to join us for christmas this year. There has been an amazing array of birds around with the seasonal changes and winds, such as the swans, shorebirds, heron, geese and a bunch of ducks I couldn't imagine trying to tell you about. Of course the majestic eagles as well.
Ok, so another little story for you...
We go out surfing on Boxing day with mum as the swell model was looking like the biggest waves of the year, and they provided. It was a good 12-16 foot wave, if not 20 on the outside. We went to the hiellen to see if there was any refuge from the break and sure enough, there was just a little. As I'm checking the waves from shore there is a massive crew of half-ton trucks waiting for the tide to drop to go out for the scallop run and see what's going on. Meanwhile, a few kids are playing on a log just on top of the tideline and this rogue wave shows up and sweeps the kids out to sea. Everyone goes running for the hills and these 3 kids (4,6,and 9) are swept out to sea. I throw my coffee and dive in grabbing one under each arm and pulling another one with my hand. Freaked me out to all get out. As if this wasn't a reminder of how severe the swell was I ended up going out and paddling into the hugest waves of my life. Sitting on the outside, nearly a mile offshore, I dropped into an apartment building-sized wave and ended up riding for a few seconds as I must have been travelling nearly 80km/h and just exploded, losing my board and ripping my leash off my leg. So now, here I am, a mile off shore, 20 foot waves, a rip current that nearly killed 3 kids and nobody in sight. I relax. I'm in it now, I've got to get out. the rip is pulling me closer and closer to Alaska, and I am pretty confident there isn't a rescue boat anywhere near. To make it a little less dramatic, I did end up swimming back to shore, diving under massive wave after massive wave until 30 min later I ended back where I started. To think I was crazy enough to grab my board and do it again, I just had to do it. 1 more scary as hell ride and I was out. It wasn't worth it. Ironically, I had spoke to my mother about life insurance on the way out. Perhaps, this was a time when you need to listen to instincts and obey them. There is something to be said about instincts, spidey senses as you will, and their influence on your decisions. I will now pay much closer to these feelings as I believe that they will direct me on a proper path, the one that is predermined for me and a basis for all the previous decisions I've made. Well, all for now, thanks to the powers that be for helping me survive, and others to survive mother natures powerful and beautiful energy.
Here are my folks doing all the dirty work during their visit for Christmas after a session of food gathering. The Alucian low system over Alaska hits us every christmas and in true fashion with the big waves and storms come the scallops. Another big wash up hit us at just the right time, and I happened to be in the right spot at the right time to get 100 scallops and a schwack of cockles. Very nice to have this in the freezer for later munching! 
